Hunter Biden: Father’s Cancer Has Spread, Causing Pain

Former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has metastasized to his bones and beyond, causing significant pain even as the 83-year-old continues to speak publicly on issues important to him, his son Hunter Biden revealed in a BBC Newsnight interview broadcast Friday.

“The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further,” Hunter Biden told presenter Paddy O’Connell. “It’s very painful and it’s very debilitating in many respects.”

A Difficult Diagnosis

Joe Biden was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in May 2025, less than four months after leaving the White House. The cancer had already spread to his bones when it was discovered, according to AP News. He began radiation and hormone therapy treatment in October 2025.

Hunter Biden grew emotional during the interview when discussing his father’s condition, describing it as difficult to witness. “It’s really hard, Paddy, and it’s really sad to watch,” he said. “The only thing that I say about my dad about his health right now is I wish he would complain more because it’s not good.”

Despite the health challenges, Hunter Biden said his father remains engaged and determined. “He’s still doing his thing,” he said. “He so believes in this country.”

A Family’s Ongoing Battle

Jill Biden, the former first lady, recently discussed the ongoing nature of her husband’s cancer treatment in an interview with SiriusXM’s “Let’s Talk Off Camera With Kelly Ripa.” She revealed that Joe Biden was getting up to use the bathroom up to seven times a night before his diagnosis and that she had raised concerns with White House physicians, according to USA Today.

“We have to be mindful of it every three months, testing and medicines,” Jill Biden said. “And anybody who’s gone through this cancer journey - and I’ve been through it many times with members of my family, of course with Beau - it’s constant. It’s daily. And I think it’s challenging.”

The family has faced cancer before: Beau Biden, Joe Biden’s oldest son, died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46.

The 2024 Debate and Aftermath

Hunter Biden also reflected on the June 2024 presidential debate that ultimately ended his father’s re-election campaign, saying he watched it alone at his California home and immediately sensed something was wrong. “Like everybody else, I was shocked,” he said. “I could tell as soon as my father came out that something was wrong. I’ve never seen him with kind of the hundred-yard stare that he had.”

He speculated that the cancer diagnosis nine months later may have contributed to his father’s debate performance, noting, “Nine months later, he was diagnosed with stage-four prostate cancer and stage-four metastatic bone cancer, none of which we knew,” as Al Jazeera reported.

The Pardon Controversy

In the wide-ranging interview, Hunter Biden also addressed the controversial pardon his father granted him in December 2024, acknowledging it was problematic. “Was it good for our Constitution? Was it good for the American people? Was it good for my dad’s legacy? No, on all counts,” he said. “It’s something that is easily criticised and for good reason, and I can’t pretend otherwise.”

He defended his father’s decision, however, arguing that the former president acted out of concern that his son would become a target under the incoming Trump administration. “What would you have thought of my dad if he did not do that for me?” he asked.

Hunter Biden also said he has no interest in seeking elected office, telling the BBC he wants to devote his time to speaking about addiction and recovery. He described his own past struggles with substance abuse, saying, “It was hell on earth. There’s nothing glamorous about it.”

What’s Next

Joe Biden will publish his memoir, “Promise Me, America,” on November 17, 2026, after the midterm elections, according to AP News. The memoir is expected to detail his campaign, presidency, and the decision to withdraw from the 2024 race.

A Biden spokesman declined to comment on Hunter Biden’s interview, Reuters reported.

The former president attended the dedication of Barack Obama’s presidential library in Chicago in June, and continues to make public appearances despite his health challenges. As Hunter Biden put it, “I’m most proud of his resilience. He’s proven time and time again that when you get knocked down, you can get up. He’s the toughest man I know.”